USDA, ARS, North Atlantic Area, Contracting Office, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038

66 -- OXYGEN ANALYZER (SCIENTIFIC USE) POC Lisa M. Botella, (215) 233-6551, fax (215) 233-6558, Regina M. Herchak, Contracting Officer The USDA, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), intends to negotiate solely with Modern Controls, Inc. (MOCON) in Minneapolis, MN to furnish and deliver FOB Destination to the USDA, ARS, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor (Philadelphia), Pennsylvania, an ML-OX TRAN 2/20 Master Module with an 027-270 Regulator Assembly, and an 027-258 Automatic Digital Barometric Pressure Compensator. This system will be used for measuring the transmission rate of oxygen through films and packages. The system includes a computer controlled, high-sensitivity two station Oxygen Transmission Rate test system; DOS computer; color monitor; printer; RS-232C data output port to interface test results to an in-house computer; internal heating/cooling bath; Regulator Assembly which includes two precision two-stage stainless steel diaphragm regulator for both carrier gas and oxygen with all necessary fitting needed to make accurate flow adjustments; an Automatic Digitial Barometric Pressure Compensator which monitors barometric pressure and is displayed digitally on the CRT and automatically adjusts test data to sea level pressure; and includes a one year parts and labor warranty on the equipment. The instrument shall have a coulometric sensor for operation to measure films according to ASTM approved method D-3985 and packages according to ASTM approved method F-1307. The sensor shall be self-humidifying to reduce data scatter and prevent drying out in extended testing. The apparatus shall be capable of generating precise relative humidity (RH) from 35% to 90% directly on the test cells. RH probes shall be mounted on each test cell for monitoring RH. The unit shall also include a internal heating/cooling bath to permit film testing from 10-40 degrees Celsius. The unit shall handle at least two samples, with the ability to add a minimum of two more sampling chambers if desired. The unit is the benchmark by which permeability is measured. A high sensitivity oxygen sensor is required to test for high barrier conditions, with a repeatability of +/=.003 cc/100 in2/day, an upper range of 13 cc/100 in 2/day, and a resolution of .0006 cc/100 in2/day. The unit shall be computer controlled and capatible with software for data acquisition and recording. Because it is anticipated that oxygen pearmeability of packages made from the film material will be determined, the instrument shal have the ability for integration to a packaging testing devised for packages up to 3 liters. Companies with the demonstrated capability to provide and service such equipment must submit a written substantive statement outling the Company's and systems' capabilities to the Contracting Officer within 15 days of publication of this notice. This is not a request for proposal. No solicitation is available. (0202)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0422 19970723\66-0016.SOL)